Task 1: Follow the example on this link to construct a timeline of significant events in the history of China:

Click here for information to help your quest

History of China: Facts and figures

When you have constructed your timeline, your teacher will work with you and the whole class will construct a timeline which includes all the events that you find significant. Be prepared to justify your choices as to why you think they are significant events.

Task 2:These links will help you understand the day to day lives of Chinese people, and includes some of their customs and beliefs. Imagine you are Chinese. Write an account detailing your day-to-day life. Consider your beliefs, customs, what you eat, what school is like, the threat of Bird flu, and so on.

Chinese culture

China Today

Task 3:Choose two of the activities listed below and follow the links to complete the questions

Activities on Chinese Culture and Current Events

Chinese Zodiac

1. What animal represents the year you were born?

    

2. What aspects of your zodiac seem true in describing you?

    

3. Who is a famous person born in the year of the same animal?
   (if you don't know any of the people, choose one and do an AltaVista search on the name after putting it into quotation marks)

Chinese Proverbs

1. Copy a Chinese proverb you like.

    

2. State what the proverb means (use the annotation and your own good ideas).

    

3. Write a modern American version that shares the same meaning.

Headless Tao (or Tao Te Ching of Lao Tzu as translated by Jim Clatfelter)

1. Skim through the numbered passages until you find one that makes sense to you.

    

2. Copy the passage/poem down.

    

3. Put the passage's meaning into your own words line-by-line.

The Discovery of His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet

1. Read through the description of how the current Dalai Lama was discovered.

    

2. Make a note of the most interesting/important 3 - 5 points made in the article.

    

3. Describe in writing or to a friend or your class what your beliefs are concerning this discovery.

China News Digest

1. Click on the "current issue" to read the latest news in China.

    

2. Skim through the issue until you come across something that you think is either interesting or important.

    

3. Describe in a solid paragraph what's being discussed and why you thought it was interesting or important.

The Splendors of Imperial China

1. Browse through the exhibit presented by the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco.

    

2. Choose the image that you like the best, read about it a bit, and then view the larger image of it by clicking on the "thumbnail."

    

3. After looking closely at the image, describe how the details of the piece you selected make it a special work of art.

Why Boycott China?

1. Read through the Web site looking for key ideas.

    

2. Decide whether you think people should boycott (dictionary?) Chinese products.

    

3. Describe in a detailed paragraph or essay your reasons for saying we should or should not boycott Chinese products.